Article: Ten Ways Not To Use Email

by Craig Hardee

Email is such a super toolIt has changed the way wecommunicate. I can easilystay in touch with people all over the world instantlyby email, where a letterwould take a long time anda phone call would be tooexpensive.

Sadly, this great tool can beabused. This ruins theexperience for all of us.

With that in mind, here are tenways NOT to use email. Pleasestay away from these and keepemail the great communicationtool that it is

Instead, build up a list of people who have given youpermission to email them. You'll be better all the way around

2. Do not flame. Flaming is respondingto spam or an email in an angrymanner.

For some, the privacy of emailbecomes the opportunity to be muchmore rude than they would in person.

Don't stoop to such levels If youhave a problem with someone, discussit with them in a calm, civilizedmanner, whether in person or throughcyberspace.

3. Do not respond to spam. If yourespond to spam, you are doing twothings:a. You're letting the spammer knowthat your email address is valid andyou may receive more email.b. You're giving the spammer morereason to spam even more by responding.

Just say no, and hit the delete button.

4. Do not respond to flames. People willget angry at something and email everyonein the world to let them know how theyfeel.

I remember one time when a hacker hackedinto a list that I was subscribed to, andsent a bunch of messages to the group.

Well, a bunch of the subscribers got angryand started sending their flames out tothe group, making the problem that muchworse. All of us ended up with hundredsof unwanted and duplicate emails.

You've got better things to do than that

5. Do not expose a large group of email addresses in your email header. There's away to send to a group without exposingall the email addresses. Simply place theaddresses in the Blind Carbon Copy (BCC)line of your email program.

That will hide those addresses and shieldthose folks from unwanted email.

6. Do not reply to exposed emails. It'stempting, I knowbut resist the urge toemail all those nice email addresses someoneexposed in sending an email to you.

You don't have their permission, and theperson sending the email obviously didn'tread this article

7. Do not spread urban legends. No, I didn'twake up in my bathtub with ice all aroundme with one kidney gone and Bill Gates is notpaying me 200 for forwarding an email.

I'm glad someone has a great imagination. Ijust wish they'd put it to better use

8. Do not spread viruses. It's easier to dothan you think.

Someone gave me a virus and fortunately it was a fairly harmless one. I sent an attachmentto a friend and his antivirus program caughtit. He let me know and I immediately got someantivirus software and got rid of it.

And he's still my friend But make sure you'renot spreading viruses through your email.

9. Do not spread hype. "Cough once and makea million dollars." Okay I made that one up,but I'm sure you seen others just asridiculous.

Like Joe Friday, I want "just the facts."

10. Do not overdo it. I don't want to beworried to death by one person emailing meover and over again for no reason. Yes,sometimes repetition is good, but don'tneedlessly clog up email boxes with thesame message over and over.

If it's moving a project or conversationforward, that's another matter. But eventhen, there may come a time when you needto switch to a chat or instant messagingformat.

Or even use that ancient invention, thetelephone

Keep email the great experience it can beand stay away from all these things

About the Author

Craig Hardee is the webmaster of http://www.cyberagora.com, Your InternetMultiplex, spotlighting the resources youneed to make your time online fulfilling,profitable and fun.